Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a regular meeting of the Redwood Falls City Council was called to order in the Municipal Chambers on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
Roll call indicated Council Members Denise Kerkhoff, Jim Sandgren, Larry Arentson, and John T. Buckley were present, constituting a quorum. Mayor Tom Quackenbush and Council Member Matt Smith were absent.
Council President John T. Buckley presided over the meeting.
Also present were City Administrator Keith Muetzel, City Attorney Trenton Dammann, Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering, and Deputy City Clerk Caitlin Kodet. Finance Director Kari Klages was absent.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the agenda. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the January 16, 2024, minutes as presented. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve the following item on the Consent Agenda.
1. Purchase of Park Department Utility Vehicle and Broom
2. Annual Report and Update of Electric Distribution Generation Rules
3. Temporary On-Sale Liquor License – Redwood Area Chamber & Tourism
Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Attorney Dammann introduced Ordinance No. 89, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending Zoning Ordinance.
Mr. Dammann stated the City received a request from the Independent School District #2897 to rezone from R-2 (Single and Two Family Residential District) to R-B (Residential – Business District) the current location of the Reede Gray Elementary School (Parcel #88-766-3260) at 201 McPhail Drive. In conjunction with the zoning amendment request, ISD #2897 is also requesting to combine and plat the current school parcel with 600 Sunrise Blvd, the former Wood Dale Nursing Home parcel (scheduled to be demolished), to construct a new elementary school and parking lot. According to the Unified Development Ordinance, an educational facility, like the proposed elementary school is not permitted in the R-2 zoning district without a conditional use permit. Therefore, it would need to be rezoned to comply with the Unified Development Ordinance and permit the construction of the proposed school. 600 Sunrise Blvd is currently zoned R-B so once combined and platted, the entire parcel would be zoned R-B.
Mr. Dammann stated the request to re-zone the property was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission on January 9, 2024. The Planning and Zoning Commission, along with City staff, recommend approval of the re-zone and consequently the Amendment of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed Ordinance was introduced at the January 16, 2024, City Council Meeting.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Ordinance No. 89, Fourth Series – An Ordinance Amending Zoning Ordinance. Motion passed by the following roll call vote.
AYE: Council Members Kerkhoff, Sandgren, Buckley, and Arentson
NO: None
ABSENT: Council Member Smith
Police Chief Jason Cotner was present to introduce the Updated Joint Powers Agreement with Brown/Lyon/Redwood/Renville Drug Task Force.
Chief Cotner stated on November 21, 2023, an updated Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) was presented to Council that had been approved by the Brown/Lyon/Redwood/Renville Drug Task Force Board of Directors (DTF Board). The updated JPA was presented primarily due to a change approved by the DTF Board which changed the number of meetings each year. That change required an updated JPA to empower the financial agent to receive and disburse funds for the DTF on a bi-monthly rather than monthly basis.
Chief Cotner stated at the time it was presented to Council the updated JPA was also being reviewed and approved by the various member agency councils and boards. Council did approve the updated JPA at the November 21, 2023 meeting. In the weeks following Council’s approval, the Redwood County Attorney reviewed the updated JPA for the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office. The Redwood County Attorney requested changes to the JPA, primarily to section 9.5 which deals with records retention of BLRR DTF documents. After this request was made a new draft JPA was reviewed and approved by the DTF Board during their December 14, 2023, meeting. This newly updated draft JPA has been reviewed by Police Chief Jason Cotner and Redwood Falls City Attorney Trenton Dammann and neither have any objections or requested changes to this new JPA.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the Updated Joint Powers Agreement with Brown/Lyon/Redwood/Renville Drug Task Force. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Public Works Project Coordinator Jim Doering introduced Resolution No. 9 of 2024 – MnDOT State Aid for Local Transportation Municipal State Aid Street Funds Advance Resolution.
Mr. Doering stated the City of Redwood Falls has a current MSAS balance of $96,239.24 and an anticipated allotment of $277,500 in construction funds in 2024 for upgrading the MSAS routes in the City limits for an estimated total balance of $373,739.24. The 2024 reimbursement requests for East 4th Street Reconstruction Project may exceed our MSAS allotment for 2024 in the total amount of $35,841.79. MNDOT allows advancement requests that do not exceed 4 years of allotments. The East 4th Street Reconstruction Project is anticipated to require an additional $35,841.79 in MSAS funds and is the purpose of this advance request. Staff is recommending the advancement request of $35,841.79 to meet reimbursement needs in order to complete the East 4th Street Reconstruction Project.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 9 of 2024 – MnDOT State Aid for Local Transportation Municipal State Aid Street Funds Advance Resolution. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Sandgren to approve Resolution No. 9 of 2024 – MnDOT State Aid for Local Transportation Municipal State Aid Street Funds Advance Resolution. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Attorney Dammann introduced Resolution No. 10 of 2024 – Authorization to Execute Independent Contractor Agreement for Building Inspection Services between City and Core Code Solutions, LLC.
Mr. Dammann stated the Redwood Valley Elementary School Project (“Project”) is a state-licensed facility and requires building permit, plan review, inspection, and code administration and enforcement services to be provided by the Department of Labor and Industry or a qualified Building Official under Minnesota State Building Code. The City employs its own Building Official and holds a valid delegation agreement with the State of Minnesota pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 326B.107 Subd. 2 for state-licensed facilities. However, the City’s Building Official does not possess the required years of experience to fulfill the delegation agreement for State Building Projects. Because it is a state-licensed facility, without being able to exercise the delegation agreement, the Project would need to be permitted, reviewed, and inspected by the State instead of a local entity.
Mr. Dammann further stated the City of Redwood Falls, through the proposed agreement with Core Code Solutions, would be able to provide these services for the Project at the local level. As part of the agreement, the City would be collecting all building permit and plan review fees. After State deductions, the City would agree to disburse 50% of the net permit fees and 100% of the net plan review fees collected to Core Code Solutions.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 10 of 2024 – Authorization to Execute Independent Contractor Agreement for Building Inspection Services between City and Core Code Solutions, LLC. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 10 of 2024 – Authorization to Execute Independent Contractor Agreement for Building Inspection Services between City and Core Code Solutions, LLC. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Deer Hunt Coordinator Paul Parsons was present to discuss the 2023 Archery Deer Hunt Report.
Mr. Parsons summarized the 2023 deer hunt as follows: the season coincided with the full Minnesota DNR archery season from September 16, 2023, to December 31, 2023, the hunt was limited to 20 participants, 22 qualified this year, and 23 applications were submitted, a total of 22 deer were harvested with 189 deer being spotted, and hunters spent a total of 409 hours in the stand.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering stated staff is recommending the deer hunt committee reconvene to further review the results of the hunt, what was learned, and what to change in order to determine if future hunts are warranted. Results of the committee meeting along with a 2024 recommendation will be presented to Council prior to submission to the MN DNR to conduct a 2024 Archery Deer Hunt.
A motion was made by Council Member Kerkhoff and seconded by Council Member Arentson to approve the 2023 Archery Deer Hunt Report as presented and allow the deer hunt committee to reconvene to discuss a 2024 Archery Deer Hunt. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
City Administrator Muetzel introduced Resolution No. 11 of 2024 – Appointing 2024 Election Judges.
Mr. Muetzel stated under Section 204B.21, Subdivision 2 of the Election Laws of the State of Minnesota, the Council of each municipality shall appoint in the manner provided, qualified voters as judges of election with the understanding that amendments can be made by the Election Administrator. The following qualified voters are hereby designated as Judges of Election for the March 5, 2024, Presidential Nomination Primary Election: Caitlin Kodet, Amy Kerkhoff, Marcee Stromberg, Mary Wetmore, Bruce Tolzmann, Stephanie Klavetter, Wayne Junker, Abby Larson, Mary Walz, Eric Lovett, Jessica Lovett, Mary Liebl, Julie Faugstad, and Daniel Faugstad.
A motion was made by Council Member Sandgren and seconded by Council Member Arentson to waive the reading of Resolution No. 11 of 2024 – Appointing 2024 Election Judges. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
A motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to approve Resolution No. 11 of 2024 – Appointing 2024 Election Judges. Motion passed by unanimous vote.
Police Chief Cotner provided Council an update on recent investigations by the Drug Task Force and the City’s Police Department liaison to the Drug Task Force, Officer Mathwig, following multiple drug overdoses in the community. Chief Cotner praised the Drug Task Force and Officer Mathwig for the collaborative efforts taken during these investigations. The ability to utilize State funding because of the Council approved Joint Powers Agreement for the Minnesota Anti-Heroin Task Force Program has been crucial in helping to fund the overtime needed for the opioid related investigations.
Public Works Project Coordinator Doering received an update regarding the Lake Redwood fishing pier. The pier is scheduled to be delivered on February 7, 2024 and will be installed in the spring.
Bills and Claims were presented to the Council for informational purposes. No questions, comments or concerns were raised.
There being no further business, a motion was made by Council Member Arentson and seconded by Council Member Kerkhoff to adjourn the meeting at 5:44 p.m. Motion passed by unanimous vote.